. Morley" (the Queen) and "Mrs. Freeman" (the
Duchess), the latter taking that name because, she said, it suited the
frank and bold character of her letters.

While the Duchess continued in power, she used her influence to urge
forward the war with France undertaken by England to check the designs
of Louis XIV on Spain and Holland, and also to punish him for his
recognition of the claim of the Pretender to the English crown
(S491). Her object was to advance her husband, who, as commander in
chief of the English and Dutch forces on the Continent, had won fame
and fortune,--the first by his splendid ability, the second by his
unscrupulous greed (S509).

After a number of years, the Queen and the Duchess quarreled, and the
latter was superseded by her cousin, a Mrs. Masham (1711), who soon
got as complete control of Anne as the former favorite had possessed.
Mrs. Masham was as sly and supple as the Duchess had been dictatorial
and violent. She was cousin to Robert Harley, a prominent Tory
politician (S479). Through her influence Harley now became Prime
Minister in everything but name. He succeeded in putting a stop to
further fighting, and Marlborough was ordered home in disgrace on a
charge of having robbed the government. Thus it was, as Hallam
remarks, that "the fortunes of Europe were changed by the insolence of
one waiting woman and the cunning of another."[1]

511. Dr. Sacheverell (1710).

An incident occurred about this time which greatly helped the Tories
(S479) in their schemes. Dr. Sacheverell, a violent Tory and High
Churchman (S507), began preaching a series of vehement sermons in
London condemning the Whig policy which called for the reopening of
the war. He also endeavored to revive the exploding theory of the
Divine Right of Kings (S419, 429), and declared that no tyranny on the
part of a sovereign could by any possibility justify a subject in
resisting the royal will. The Whig leaders brought the preacher to
trial for alleged treasonable utterances (1710). He was suspended
from his office for three years, and his book of sermons was publicly
burned by the common hangman.

This created intense popular excitement; Sacheverell was regarded as a
political martyr by all who wished the war ended. A reaction against
the Government set in; the Whigs (S479) were driven from power, and
the Tories passed two very harsh laws[2] against Dissenters (S472),
though they were repealed a few years later. The